New in the Literature: Measuring Outcomes in Patients With Spinal Stenosis (Spine J. 2012;12(10):921-931.)

Thursday, December 13, 2012

New in the Literature: Measuring Outcomes in Patients With Spinal Stenosis (Spine J. 2012;12(10):921-931.)

Results of a study published
in The Spine Journal indicate that
the Oswestry Disability Index, Modified Swiss Spinal Stenosis Scale (SSS), and
Patient Specific Functional Scale possess adequate psychometric properties to
be used in the outcome assessment of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.
However, further investigation is needed to validate these findings in other
samples of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and nonspecific low back pain,
the authors add.

All patients completed the Oswestry Disability Index,
SSS, Patient Specific Functional Scale, and NPRS at the baseline examination
and at a follow-up. In addition, patients completed a 15-point Global Rating of
Change at follow-up, which was used to categorize whether patients experienced
clinically meaningful change. Changes in the Oswestry Disability Index, SSS,
Patient Specific Functional Scale, and NPRS were then used to assess
test-retest reliability, responsiveness, and minimum levels of detectable and
clinically important differences.

The Oswestry Disability Index was the only outcome
measure to exhibit excellent test-retest reliability with an intraclass correlation
coefficient of 0.86. All others ranged between fair and moderate. The Oswestry
Disability Index, SSS, and Patient Specific Functional Scale exhibited varying
levels of responsiveness, each of which was superior to the NPRS. The minimal clinically important
difference for the outcome measures for persons with lumbar spinal stenosis
were: